Mind your moths
Dehradun, March 18
While poaching of large mammals have always been a matter of grave concern, very little has been done to curtail trafficking of smaller fauna like moths.
About 1,500 species of butterflies are found in the country out of which 460 are protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.

Masked dangerStudents wearing masks at a function to mark Ordnance Day in Dehradun on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Anil P. Rawat

Well of Death faces extinction
Dehradun, March 18
There was a time when the ‘Well of Death’ was a popular show of all circuses. Hundreds of people used to gather to see the motorbike rider risking his life while performing stunts around the well.

Dehradun, March 18
While poaching of large mammals have always been a matter of grave concern, very little has been done to curtail trafficking of smaller fauna like moths.
About 1,500 species of butterflies are found in the country out of which 460 are protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.

Interestingly, whereas poaching of large mammals gets reported to the officials
concerned and promptly highlighted by the media as well, no attention is paid to
the insect fauna.

India continues to be a hotbed for trafficking of moths, particularly involving butterflies collected by poachers in protected areas in the Himalayan region.

Sources reveal that places like Leh, Manali and Darjeeling are prominent centres for this unlawful trade.

The entire western Himalayas, that include the states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, has 417 species of butterflies, 350 out of which are found in Garhwal.

There have been cases when tourists, mainly foreigners, posing as conservationist have been found indulging in illegal butterfly trade and with assistance from locals collect butterflies for being further smuggled to foreign countries via Nepal.

Butterflies, with their attractive shape and colours, used as mounted specimens have acquired high commercial value.

Souvenirs either of the whole butterfly or only the wings is high on demand in the international market.
Souvenirs like a transparent key ring with a coloured moth inside is a big hit with the buyers.

A research student on butterflies, Manish Bharadwaj, says there is still a lot to be done for sensitising people on the importance of moths.

He says it is of paramount importance that awareness in created on the importance of butterflies and other insects.

Entomologist on the faculty at the WII, Dr VP Uniyal who has a long experience in working on moths, describes butterflies as best indicators of an area’s bio-diversity.

Any destruction of butterflies can be detrimental to bio-diversity as plants and animals depend on these for food or pollination. He says little has been done so far to check trafficking of butterflies.

“Though the Wild Life Protection Act came into being way back in 1972, people generally do not know that the law checks hunting of butterflies. Both the Customs Act and the Wildlife Act curb any export of butterflies,” he explains.

While little is being done for the protection of butterflies and charismatic moths in the country, Dehradun-based Wild Life Institute had been doing a yeoman service towards sensitising the law-enforcing agencies vis-à-vis trafficking of butterflies.

Dr Uniyal says apart from training senior Customs officials, the institute has been conducting courses for paramilitary and other government officials to help them check trafficking of moths.

The programmes, apart from making the officials familiar with the mindset and ways of traffickers, also takes them on field visits, particularly the Indo-Nepal border, for on- the-spot assessment.

The butterfly trade is so well-orgnaised that apprehending the perpetrators of the crime is not easy.

Professionals hunt butterflies under the garb of tourism expeditions and at times hire local people for collecting the target species.

Lack of sensitisation has been a major factor that has led to increased butterfly trafficking.
People seldom understand the adverse impact to any eco-system caused by the depletion of moths.

With the aim to senstise the masses on butterflies, entomologists have been demanding the creation of a butterfly park in the state.

While butterflies, being a sensitive species, amply reflect any change in land use, the common man sees its aesthetic beauty alone.

Whenever there is a change in usage of forest land from forestry to agriculture or any other purpose, butterflies are among the first to flee the region, which makes these the most interesting case study.

Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education (ICFRE) scientists who have been conducting a study on butterflies for long admit that the importance of butterflies is still to be understood by the people in the villages.

The scientists too favour a butterfly park in the region.
“People keep little knowledge on the importance of butterflies for enrichment of bio-diversity,” says Jagdish Kishwan, a top official of the council.

Significantly, those indulging in hunting butterflies are seldom apprehended. There seems a lack of will on the part of wildlife authorities to handle the problem of poaching of butterflies with the seriousness it deserves.

Dharmender Pratap Singh, who is 8
feet tall, claims to be the tallest man in the country. Tribune photo: Vinod Pundir

Dehradun, March 18
Standing 8 feet in his socks, Dharmender Pratap Singh claims to be the tallest man in the country.

He loves to call himself a “showman,” after all several men, women and children gather to watch him sitting inside a specially designed tent.

Attracting a lot of attention at Jhanda Mela, Dharmender, a rather shy man from Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh, has travelled to several parts of the country.

“There is much curiosity associated with my height. Though I am a postgraduate, I could not get a decent job. One has to earn for a decent living.
I manage to earn between Rs 8,000
and Rs 10,000 from a single exhibition. In a year, I participate in 10 exhibitions,” he says.

He has been invited by several TV channels.
Recently, he was on India TV with Surbhina, who is the tallest woman in India. During elections, he is called upon by several parties at rallies as he is a crowd-puller.

“I usually shun election rallies and political leaders. They remember you only during the elections and then dump you. Above all, I have nothing in common with them.”

A butt of jokes and curiosity, Dharmender has got used to constant stares and
questioning. “I give in to exhibitions because at the end of the day I get good
money,”
he says.

Dharmender has also been a part of a small Japanese film. He says: “I was
treated like a king; they paid for my air fare and my stay at Mumbai where the
film was shot.

“Though I had a small part, the experience was useful. If a Hindi film comes my way, I will exactly know what to day.”

Dehradun, March 18
There was a time when the ‘Well of Death’ was a popular show of all circuses. Hundreds of people used to gather to see the motorbike rider risking his life while performing stunts around the well.

Today, there are few takers for this old but daring trick. Time is running out for
the
artists who are now being slowly edged out by the superior forms of entertainment
and tricks.

“The innovation was brought about only
12 years back. My father Meharban Hassan
is credited for crafting the wooden
prototype well. A trip to Rawalpindi in
Pakistan provided the initial inspiration for
the well,” said Shahid Hassan.

He has already spent around 4.5 lakh on the construction of the well. A show lasts for an hour.

He preferred to call himself and his team as artistes rather than stunt men. Shahid said that several top-notch circus owners get their stunt men insured but rues the lack of help from the government.

“We are in a difficult situation, there are only 20 wells left in the country, earlier we used to get work quite often now it is getting less. With no help from the government, one day I may have to call it a day,” said Hassan.

At the ongoing Jhanda Mela, the show of well of death starts attracting the crowd in the evening when stunt girls Gudiya and Zeba begin performing stunts that take the breath away of the audience who stand stupefied with amazement.

Part of the Shivani Amusement Company of Sadar Bazar the girls and boys receive a paltry honorarium of Rs 200 and most of them are not even insured.

Risking their lives everyday has become a habit for them. Gudiya, a stunt girl, is a regular performer at the Show with the motorcyle rider Sohail Khan.

Gudiya,
hailing from ShahJhanpur in Uttar Pradesh, said, “I keep my mind steady and concentrate on my act, the movements are now perfect, and fear has become secondary now. In the coming days I want to independently ride the car and hope to save money from my stunts.”

While Zeba, another stunt girl from Kolkatta said, “I am here as long as I can earn a decent living and above all I enjoy performing on the top of the motorcycles and cars. Speed thrills me. My seniors tell me that a fall can be bad so I try to learn the balancing trick.”

Not satisfied with the number of spectators visiting to watch the stunts, Shahid Hassan the in charge of the team said, “We have been coming to Dehradun for the last eight years, but this time the response has not been good, very few people turn up for the show. Though, we have come up with new stunts. We are already incurring huge losses and I worry for the future of my enterprise. Big players are already offering modern amusement, we do not hold a chance against them.”

A local innovation, the wooden well with iron nut bolts is 180ft deep. As music begins, a motorbike rider begins taking circles of the well followed by a car and then girls emerge from the car performing acrobats, leaping from the car onto the motorcycle in a perfect coordination.

During a full house on the second day of the mela, more than 400 people
gathered to watch the stunning exploits of the riders, a deft movement is
rewarded as audience present cash to the daring performers. Audience can
enjoy all this in just Rs 10.

Residents say it’s their duty to vote
The Lok Sabha election dates have been announced.
Doon residents share their opinion on this major
event with Tribune staffer Divya Semwal

Elections are very important. The public should not be hesitant to stand in long queues to excercise franchise. It is one’s duty to vote during the elections.
— RK Goyal, bakery owner

Voting is one of our fundamental rights and before taking a decision on a candidate, one should weigh the pros and cons carefully or else bad leaders will get elected and will never let the country progress.
— Fareed
Hasan, teacher

We should vote wisely so that we can elect the right kind of
representatives who are sensitive to the people’s needs and are capable of giving us better governance. Each one must vote.
— Pooja, counsellor

We should excercise our political rights and, therefore, everybody should vote. We expect the next government in the state to work for the state’s
development , especially providing power to the people. —
N. Surendra, Frameboxx